State Inspector General Ellen Biben’s probe of New York Power Authority boss Richie Kessel — first reported yesterday by Post State Editor Fredric U. Dicker — couldn’t be better timed.

As Gov. Cuomo pushes hard to reverse the culture of corruption that infests Albany politics, the last thing he needs is for folks to suspect hanky-panky at a major authority under his control.

On Friday, we called for just such a probe, after Attorney General Eric Schneiderman warned Kessel against handing out NYPA cash to politically influential pals, particularly those with ties to his Long Island base.

And the IG apparently is looking even beyond the areas we (and Schneiderman) have cited, having subpoenaed documents tied to dozens of no-bid contracts.

Any cash it spends inappropriately ultimately comes from New Yorkers’ pockets. It also discourages firms that don’t like paying the notorious New York vigorish to pols in order to operate here.

And while we’ve noted the “mere” hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds Kessel doled out in “gifts” or “sponsorships” (e.g., a $4,750 payment he made to his hometown Merrick Chamber of Commerce), there may be millions of dollars more in NYPA-linked improprieties.

We’ve also noted, for example, a $25 million NYPA program — a slush fund, really — that Kessel hoped to set up for “energy efficiency” projects. (After our editorial, the fund was put on hold.)

Biben’s got her work cut out for her.

But thoroughness will pay off big for New York. Better get to work, Ms. IG.